Gillingham outlines big plan for Seine River in a second-term as mayor

Scott Gillingham promises to turn the Seine River into a permanent recreation and nature attraction, if re-elected as mayor.

At a riverside campaign announcement Friday, Gillingham said a long-term plan would be to create Rivière-Seine Historic Municipal Riverway encompassing the entire Winnipeg section of the Seine, building on past volunteer efforts to clean up the river and make it a paddle-friendly attraction.

The Seine, which winds through St. Boniface and St. Vital, originates in the Sandilands Provincial Forest, passes through southeastern Manitoba, crosses the Red River Floodway and joins the Red River in St. Boniface just north of The Forks.

“What we want to do, really, is to establish the permanence of this river and allow its beauty and the opportunity to enjoy it, to be something that we don’t just leave to volunteers alone, but come together and focus on establishing it as, really, a place that gets focused attention and investment,” said Gillingham.

He did not provide a cost estimate.

The four-year plan would begin with a working group that would map out the corridor, enhance its environmental protection and support events and parks.

In the third and fourth years, a conservancy model would see the city partner with the non-profit group Save Our Seine, the Manitoba Métis Federation and other organizations. That process could also produce options to boost tourism, signage and access to seasonal canoe, kayak and ice-trail experiences for low-income residents.

The city could pay to enhance Seine cleanup efforts, add canoe and kayak launches, support paddling events such as the Rendez-Vous Rivyayr Seine Paddle Festival and new parks or other amenities, depending on what the final plan proposes, he said.

Gillingham said the city is also in talks with the federal government about the potential addition of a national urban park in Winnipeg, which may overlap with the idea, but wouldn’t necessarily be placed along the Seine.

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Mike Vogiatzakis promised to reduce, then freeze sewer and water rates, if he’s elected.

“Residents are paying substantially more before using one extra litre (of water),” said Vogiatzakis.

On April 1, 2025, a hike to the typical home’s sewer rate added $168.03 to that bill for the remainder of that year. The annual bill rose by an additional $44 on Jan. 1, 2026. It’s also set to jump a further $68 on Jan. 1, 2027, unless the province and feds formally commit $500 million each to complete the North End sewage treatment plant upgrade.

The province has promised to do so and a federal decision is expected soon.

Vogiatzakis said as mayor, he would reduce the current rate by 10 per cent “right away,” then freeze it for four years.

He suggested the city could still save money by cancelling a $135-million switch from manual to smart water meters. That project was approved years ago, with some contracts already awarded for the work.

Vogiatzakis also promised to use 24-hour construction on more civic projects to speed them up. And electronic road signs would be placed near major road construction sites, displaying project timelines and estimated delays.

“Every citizen in the City of Winnipeg is pissed off with construction and closing roads,” he said.

While the city has limited round-the-clock construction because of excess noise concerns in the past, he believes citizens would accept the disruption if projects were completed sooner.

Vogiatzakis also said he would create a website where Winnipeggers could vote on every “major” project the city considers, though city council would still make final decisions. He did not define what would qualify as a major project.

Candidate Don Woodstock promised to hire a forensic auditor to help him “overhaul” city hall spending, if he’s elected.

Woodstock said the auditor would assess all city departments, which would identify any waste or irregular expenses.

“It cannot hurt to have a fresh set of eyes, when it comes to (an) audit,” he said.

Anyone found guilty of wrongdoing through that process would be barred for life from holding a city job, he said. However, people could step forward and seek legal immunity for mismanaging city money within 48 hours after he is sworn in as mayor, said Woodstock, arguing that would bring forward important information.

His plan also calls for the city to rely solely on its own lawyers and engineers, eliminating third-party contracts in those areas to save money.

The election is Oct. 28.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga